The World Since 1945 (1945 Present) Part I: Multiple-Choice Questions Identify the letter of the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question. 1. One effect of the Cold War was A an outbreak of civil wars. B the founding of the United Nations. C increased political tension worldwide. D widespread fighting. 2. During the last two decades of the Cold War, both the United States and the Soviet Union agreed to A global protection of human rights. B allow communism to spread throughout Asia. C a policy of nuclear disarmament. D the development of chemical and biological weapons. 3. The purpose of the European Community was to A create a politically unified Europe. B establish free trade among member nations. C defend Europe against encroaching U.S. interests. D stop the spread of communism in Europe. 4. How did Japan develop a trade surplus in the decades after World War II? A by exporting high-quality goods and protecting home industries B by importing goods from the United States and selling them at high prices C by outsourcing their manufacturing to China and Korea D by focusing on the development of agriculture instead of industry 5. Mao Zedong was able to defeat China s Nationalists because A the Nationalists had no leader. B he was financed by wealthy landowners. C the Japanese government supported him. D most of the Chinese people supported him. 6. Why has North Korea remained isolated and poor? A It lacks the natural resources necessary for development. B Its government clings to hard-line communism. C Reparations from the Korean War have left it outcast and bankrupt. D Natural disasters have wiped out native industries. 7. Which of the following outcomes might support the domino theory? A Korea remained politically and economically divided. B China restricted political liberties while allowing economic freedom. C After communism collapsed in the Soviet Union, Eastern Europe became democratic. D Cambodia and Laos ended up with communist governments dominated by Vietnam. 95
8. What was one result of Mikhail Gorbachev s efforts to reform the Soviet Union? A the launching of Sputnik B a return to hard-line communism C the disintegration of the Soviet Union D a buildup of nuclear weapons 9. Which of the following statements is true regarding India and Pakistan during the Cold War? A They both remained nonaligned. B Pakistan supported the Soviet Union, while India supported the United States. C Pakistan allied itself with the United States, while India favored the Soviet Union. D They both refused economic aid from foreign countries. 10. What challenges has Indonesia faced in its recent history? A communist revolution and ethnic conflicts B economic collapse and foreign invasion C foreign invasion and natural disasters D ethnic conflicts and natural disasters 11. Which of the following generalizations regarding how African nations won their independence is true? A Most, but not all, nations were able to win their independence peacefully. B All nations were forced to fight for their independence. C Economic sanctions helped many nations win their independence. D Most nations won their independence at the voting polls. 12. One of the biggest factors contributing to political instability in African nations immediately after independence was A the lack of natural resources. B ethnic conflict. C the failure of communism. D natural disasters. 13. The primary goal of Islamists is A the expulsion of Jews from Israel. B to spread Westernization throughout the Middle East. C a return to Sharia (Islamic law) as the source of government. D to control the Middle East s oil resources. 14. Gamel Abdel Nasser sought to end Western domination of Egypt by A installing an Islamist government. B seeking aid from the United States. C making peace with Israel. D nationalizing the Suez Canal. 96
15. The Good Friday Agreement was designed to end conflict between which two groups? A French- and English-speakers in Canada B Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland C rebels and Russian authorities in Chechnya D Hutus and the Tutsis in Rwanda 16. Which event sparked nationalist unrest in the Balkans in the 1990s? A the collapse of communism in Yugoslavia B Serbian ethnic cleansing C the discovery of oil in the Adriatic Sea D NATO air strikes 17. One of the challenges facing South Africa since the abolition of apartheid is A choosing political leaders who are not racially biased. B ending racial violence in former black townships. C incorporating supporters of apartheid into the new government. D closing the socio-economic gap between blacks and whites. 18. Which of the following was an obstacle to peace in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict? A pressure on the region from the United States B lack of Arab support for a peace agreement C Israeli settlements in the occupied territories D the death of Yasir Arafat 19. Iraq s history of internal and external conflicts partly results from A its lack of stable political leadership. B its oil resources and ethnic diversity. C a series of natural disasters. D the collapse of communism. 20. Developing countries that borrowed money from developed nations often A made rapid progress toward modernization. B were able to pay back their debts. C became economically dependent. D developed economic independence. 21. Which of the following was an unforeseen consequence of the Green Revolution? A an increase in farm output in developing countries B farmers with small amounts of land could grow crops more cheaply C prices for crops increased D only big landowners could afford new farming tools and methods 22. Which of the following is a consequence of growing cash crops in Africa? A There is a food shortage. B Countries are achieving economic independence. C Small farmers are becoming wealthy. D Governments are neglecting industrial development. 97
23. One effect of urbanization in Africa is A lower birthrates. B higher literacy rates. C weakened kinship ties. D the preservation of traditional culture. 24. The intention of China s Four Modernizations was to A limit family size. B end the democracy movement. C get rid of noncommunists. D improve China's economy. 25. How did Latin America s military rulers justify the harshness of their regimes? A by citing Marxist theory B by claiming a need for order C by blaming the Roman Catholic Church D by blaming the United States 26. The dirty war refers to the kidnapping, torturing, and murdering of thousands of citizens by military leaders in A Argentina. B Brazil. C Nicaragua. D Mexico. 27. The trade region that includes Japan and the United States is known as the A Organization of American States. B European Union. C Pacific Rim. D Asian tigers. 28. Which of the following statements is an argument against globalization? A The nations of the world have become more interdependent. B Corporations invest money in developing countries. C It has led to the formation of global organizations, such as the UN and WTO. D Multinational corporations outsource jobs to countries with cheap supplies of labor. 29. What is the purpose of the Kyoto Protocol? A to stop deforestation B to lower the emissions that contribute to global warming C to promote research in desalination technology D to slow desertification 30. Which of the following is an example of a weapon of mass destruction (WMD)? A mustard gas B a pistol C a machine gun D pepper spray 98
Part II: Constructed-Response Questions Directions: Answer the questions that follow the document using the space provided. Base your answers to questions 1, 2, and 3 on the reading below and on your knowledge of social studies. Václav Havel was a primary leader in the democracy movement that changed the face of Eastern Europe in 1989. Havel was elected president of a troubled Czechoslovakia that, no longer under communist rule, struggled to regain its footing. He delivered this speech on January 1, 1990: We had all become used to the totalitarian system and accepted it as an unchangeable fact and thus helped to perpetuate it.... Why do I say this? It would be very unreasonable to understand the sad legacy of the last forty years as something alien, which some distant relative bequeathed to us. On the contrary, we have to accept this legacy as a sin we committed against ourselves. If we accept it as such, we will understand that it is up to us all, and up to us only, to do something about it. We cannot blame the previous rulers for everything, not only because it would be untrue but also because it could blunt the duty that each of us faces today, namely, the obligation to act independently, freely, reasonably, and quickly. Let us not be mistaken: the best government in the world, the best parliament and the best president, cannot achieve much on their own. And it would also be wrong to expect a general remedy from them only. Freedom and democracy include participation and therefore responsibility from us all. 1. According to Havel, who bore the responsibility for Czechoslovakia s welfare? 2. What is the sad legacy Havel refers to in his speech? 3. How was Czechoslovakia s rejection of communism an example of the general political trend in Eastern Europe in the late 1980s? 99